Sunday, February 26, 2017

I love the names that my generation (and my demographic) are naming our kids. I had to add my demographic, because, truthfully, I don't have a large circle of friends outside my demographic... so I don't know a lot of their kids names... and I had to add the part about my demographic because some names out there are just plain weird.

But, that disclaimer aside, I love the names that my friends and acquaintances have chosen for their children.

First let's review the top ten (based on my experience) very common names of my peers that were a dime a dozen in school as I was growing up:

Ashley

Rachel

Megan

Sarah

Chris/Christopher

Nicholas

Steve

Lauren/Laura

Katie

Ryan

I heard these names ALL THE TIME. To me, the all just seem very average, probably because I heard them so often.

Now, as my generation is naming children, I love the old-fashioned names that my generation is bringing back. I do feel that I am doing my part with the names Caroline and Howard, and even Tracey is an older name... not grandmother old, but still a few decades ago old. Even the Miller cousins are doing their part with older, less common names like Zivah, Mayah, Judah, and Silas.

Some of my favorite names of my friends' children include:

Loretta (Lottie)

Hazel

Landon

Levi

Remington

Hunter

Gus

Micah

Elaine

Heidi

Abigail

Charlotte

Eleanor

Stella

Emmett

Claire

Quincy

Soren

Beatrice (Bea)

Sullivan

Aidan

Selah

... and so many more.

Sufficed to say, I do not know of a single child age five or under named Chris, Nick, Sarah, Rachel, Ryan, Megan, Steve or Lauren

Nothing against those names, but I love that older names are coming back because I think they're beautiful, classy and classic... and hopefully the people bearing these names will be likewise in their character.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

I never was raised with siblings of my own age, who shared my same parents... and I know I've said that before, and I'll probably continue to say it in the coming months and years because I think watching my children and the fact that they are siblings is the coolest thing ever.

I love that they are raised by the same people, and they are alike in many ways, but then they have very specific distinct differences as well, and I am fascinated by watching them grow up together, but grown into their own person that God created them to be.

For example, I've never had a child who insisted on choosing her clothes or dressing herself. In fact, we are just now helping Tracey learn how to dress herself, as a preschool milestone, and she's getting the hang of it and taking pride in her independence, but she has never challenged me on what outfit I choose for her to wear.

Then yesterday, little Miss Caroline apparently decided to get herself dressed and while I was changing diapers, cleaning up breakfast and dressing other children, she repeatedly slung her shirt, then skirt, then pants around her neck to get herself dressed. Something tells me this fashion sense and independence is just beginning with this one.

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Hubby and Tracey have been in St. Louis for the past week for Hubby's grandfather's funeral service. It was such a shame we all weren't able to attend the service, celebrate his life, and honor this wonderful man in St. Louis, but the twins and I had to stay in Colorado.

Hubby and I have had many situations in our marriage where we have been different places and separated for various lengths of time. We do not enjoy our time apart but we know how to endure it until we are together again.

This past trip there was one night where Hubby fell asleep before he and I had said good night to each other. I did not realize until that night how much I need to say good night to my Hubby before I can fall asleep.

Now, he and I have endured different time zones, different schedules, different responsibilities, and more... but we always say good night. Sometimes we say good night at 4:00 in the afternooon... but acknowledge that it is the last time we will talk to each other that day, and we say, "Good night."

That particular night, we did not say good night... and I tossed and turned until after 2 in the morning.

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

I don't think Valentine's Day is all that important to maintaining a healthy marriage. Now, that doesn't stop me from sending Valentine cards to my nieces and nephews, making Valentine cards with my children, and enjoying the fact that my parents and a sweet aunt send my children Valentine cards... and giving my Hubby a card.

That does not mean I think Valentine's Day is important to maintaining a healthy marriage. Yesterday half of the day was over before I realized it was Valentine's Day.

What is important to maintaining a healthy marriage is that spouses take the time to romance each other, focus on each other, prioritize each other... take time away from the chaos of the children to say, "I still choose you, my Dear Valentine."

Now, that doesn't have to happen on Valentine's Day... in fact, it should happen many more days throughout the year besides Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day is fun because its a break in the monotony of winter and stores get to sell pink candy -- a color missing from the candy they market at Halloween and Christmas. Also, its nice that restaurants create special menus and become more romantic than usual in order to allow couples to be more romantic than usual. That being said the two times that come to mine that Hubby and I went out to dinner on Valentine's Day, the restaurants were SO packed it took forever to get our food both times and we came home disappointed.

My favorite way to spend Valentine's Day is with my Hubby at home in front of a fire in the fireplace, watching a romantic movie of my choice, with a glass of wine and takeout Chinese food. After we eat the Chinese takeout, we give each other foot rubs. That is the perfect romantic Valentine's Day to me.

That is not how we spent Valentine's Day this year, in fact due to circumstances outside our control, I didn't see my Hubby all day... but that is fine. Celebrating on Valentine's Day is not important to maintaining a healthy marriage... but we will have a romantic evening at some point in the near future. We might have missed actual Valentine's Day, but we will romance each other, focus on each other, prioritize each other, take time away from the chaos of our wonderful children and say, "I still choose you, my Dear Valentine... even when its not Valentine's Day."

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

And I really hope that cheerleader is okay, but I have to confess Hubby and I were in the kitchen doing dishes watching this live when it happened, because we just had ESPN on... and by the time they replayed it several times, we were laughing really hard. That's a really rough day for her.

Saturday, February 11, 2017

I have an app that tracks my sleep and now that all three babies have started sleeping through the night (Thank You, Lord!), I expected to have a sleep quality of 100%... but Hubby says sleep cycles are normal and I should be happy with 77%.

Friday was a preschool day for Tracey, so Howard and Caroline and I hung out at my friend's house, and they played in the big baby pen I create for them there.

... and they were sound asleep at pick up.

Back at home, the kids were all playing

So close to Lexie... and yet so far.

Howard toddles around these days and Caroline watches VERY closely and has taken one step a few times, but still watches Howard incredibly closely.

Working hard at the tool bench.

Here Tracey was playing school and tea party with her siblings.

Daddy had to work all day and then run a 7th and 8th grade Valentine's dance Friday night, so the kids did not see him very much -- but the five minutes he was home to pick up our trailer, all three kids waved and waved and waved to him from the window.

Yeah...

I can't decide if this picture is adorable, or hilarious, or embarrassing.

Getting Tracey packed for a trip to St. Louis with Hubby for a funeral.

At the end of the night, Hubby still wasn't home from the dance, and half my bed was lonely.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

I feel like, in a blink, I went from having three babies to having no babies.

To say I had three babies, isn't entirely fair because I didn't have three babies -- I had two babies, legitimate babies, and then a two-year-old who, herself was surrounded by babies, and so a very normal, clingy toddler. There were many times throughout the year that all three children needed something from me at the exact same time, and it felt like I had three babies.

Now... I look at the pictures I took on the day of the Super Bowl... and these are not babies.

First of all, Tracey is so grown up now -- I don't even feel like she is a toddler any more the way she has developed just in the past month. Her language has exploded, her pretend play has blossomed, and my three children -- because they are in fact children, and not babies, play together well for minutes on end without need of my intervention. Secondly, although both my twins are not officially "toddling" they are both toddlers. They are playing independently, they are exhibiting less and less baby behaviors, and more and more toddler behaviors (cue stress of a different kind).

The one picture in particular that just amazes me is this one below where Howard is squirming away, but look at Caroline and Tracey. Tracey's arm is around her sister, and Caroline is holding Tracey's hand and they're both looking at me and smiling for the camera -- those are two children, not babies. That is a picture of these two sisters that I am going to take for the rest of my life -- two girls with their arms around each other looking and me and (hopefully) smiling.

I cannot say this past year has flown by... because it really hasn't, but I will say, I love watching my children grown as individuals, grow as siblings, and develop into the children, and people the Lord has created them to be.

Monday, February 6, 2017

Tracey's due date was the same day as the 2014 Super Bowl 48, and the Broncos with Peyton Manning played for the title.

I took this picture that year:

I don't remember who played in the 2015 Super Bowl... or where we were or watching it...

But then the Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning returned to the Super Bowl in 2016 at Super Bowl 50 when our twins were one month old and won.

I took these pictures that year:

And now it might be a fun comparison to take a picture of my kids before each Super Bowl. This year we were cheering for Tom Brady and the Patriots (Michigan alumn), but I didn't dress them in team gear. I took this picture because these were birthday presents from their baby-sitters and I wanted to take pictures of them in the outfits to send to their sitters.

What a great football game -- huge comeback from the Patriots and Tom Brady and a historic game in many ways. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are the first to win five Super Bowls, first win by a team trailing by 21 points, and first overtime win.

I do not like the overtime rules of the NFL, but I was happy the Patriots won and they showed a very impressive comeback.

And in case you don't know, which I did not until I looked it up after the game -- G.O.A.T. stands for Greatest of All Time.

Congrats Patriots -- and good bye football for a little while. I will miss you.